Gecko Traxx

Australia has one of the most prolific beach cultures in the world, with some 10,685 beaches nationwide. Yet the sand is the most challenging and inaccessible place for a wheelchair user, with only 31 beaches (0.2%) in Australia being accessible when beach mats and beach wheelchairs are available at the site. Because of this, many individuals who have a physical disability do not consider the beach or other off-road terrains as a destination because of the inherent inaccessibility. Current methods are not portable and do not provide exceptional ease of use.

The goal of this project was to create a ‘portable way for manual wheelchair users to access the beach’. Gecko Traxx allows travel and access to the outdoors and natural environment to be easy and spontaneous; enabling positive social engagement within the wider community. The unique cross-section is unobtrusive when fitted to the wheelchair and expands, increasing the contact surface area by 300% only where needed. It returns to the thin profile allowing for unimpeded use of the push rim and no interference with the wheelchair frame. The simple design is easily manufactured, thus more affordable than any other solution.

By enabling positive social engagement and inclusion within the wider community, the ‘Gecko Traxx’ tyre can help improve both physical and psychological wellbeing. The impact ‘Gecko Traxx’ would have on war-torn countries where IED injuries are prevalent, making wheelchair access critical, would be extraordinary. Infrastructure and the environment in these areas make it extremely difficult for wheelchair users. Being manufactured only from natural rubber with no inserts or fillers, it is fully recyclable. Once the tyres are worn out, they can be shredded and moulded into a brand-new set of tyres, recognising Earth’s need for sustainability and a circular economy.

The Gecko Traxx tyre was designed primarily for ‘active’ wheelchair users – individuals who enjoy being outdoors. It is ideal for going to the beach, camping, fishing and navigating rural areas, even attending music festivals where soft grass is often present. However, in addition to the independent individuals, it also provides enormous benefits for families and carers who want to push their childs/parents/friends wheelchair along the beach or other soft, off-road terrains, as it significantly reduces the effort required. The product is extremely robust, largely due to its simplicity, thus the combination of affordability and robustness maximises its ability from a business perspective to be scaled and have a real impact where it is most needed. Not only is there a demand for this product in beach environments for leisure purposes, but also in places where it is critically needed such as remote indigenous communities in outback Australia and in developing countries where wheelchair access is extremely challenging due to underdeveloped infrastructure. The Gecko Traxx tyres are eligible to be funded under an individual’s NDIS plan, thus, making it an even more affordable and accessible item for low income groups.